Dining Out in SF The essential restaurants that define San Francisco, according to Eater editors San Francisco is a vast city. There are as many small climes as there are micro neighborhoods, as many bizarro landmarks as there are world famous vistas. That same thinking goes for restaurants. The Eater 38 is the ultimate guide to restaurants that define a city’s dining scene. Take it from the Eater editors who are out at all those restaurants, bars, and cafes: These are San Francisco’s top places to eat. In this latest refresh, write-ups include even more relevant info for diners, including a rough range of pricing for each destination. One $ is shorthand for inexpensive places where entrees are mostly under $15; $$ designates spots where entrees are mostly under $30; $$$ means entrees are mostly under $40; $$$$ indicates restaurants with pricier entrees or a tasting menu experience. New to the map in this summer 2026 update: proper British pub Dingles Public House, Michelin-starred Filipino fine dining Restaurant Naides, and classic San Francisco restaurant Bix. To be considered for the Eater 38, restaurants must be open for at least six months. For the most exciting new restaurants in town, check out the heatmap . — Additional reporting by Paolo Bicchieri . More maps in Eater SF Dining Out in SF The essential restaurants that define San Francisco, according to Eater editors San Francisco is a vast city. There are as many small climes as there are micro neighborhoods, as many bizarro landmarks as there are world famous vistas. That same thinking goes for restaurants. The Eater 38 is the ultimate guide to restaurants that define a city’s dining scene. Take it from the Eater editors who are out at all those restaurants, bars, and cafes: These are San Francisco’s top places to eat. In this latest refresh, write-ups include even more relevant info for diners, including a rough range of pricing for each destination. One $ is shorthand for inexpensive places where entrees are mostly under $15; $$ designates spots where entrees are mostly under $30; $$$ means entrees are mostly under $40; $$$$ indicates restaurants with pricier entrees or a tasting menu experience. New to the map in this summer 2026 update: proper British pub Dingles Public House, Michelin-starred Filipino fine dining Restaurant Naides, and classic San Francisco restaurant Bix. To be considered for the Eater 38, restaurants must be open for at least six months. For the most exciting new restaurants in town, check out the heatmap . — Additional reporting by Paolo Bicchieri . Open for: Weekday breakfast, weekend brunch, and dinner Price range: $$ When Francis Ang opened the doors to his Kimpton Alton Hotel restaurant in Fisherman’s Wharf, the city already knew it was the breath of fresh seabreeze air diners needed. In short order his Pinoy heritage cooking drew eaters to the otherwise-for-tourists neighborhood: sisig fried rice with poached egg and pickled onions, adobo-glazed yuba skin barbecue skewer, American wagyu beef pares with parsnip and soy beef jus. Ang was a pop-up phenom before rolling out the chic bar and restaurant in 2021. The vibe is fancy but accessible; this is not a suit-and-tie restaurant, though that wouldn’t be overdressing, either. Breakfast here is geared to tourists — though a $6 bibingka rice cake with caramelized brie and salted egg is awesome any day — whereas brunch is a San Francisco-wide weekend affair. Reservations are bookable here . Best for: A booming dining tour through the Philippines with a big group. Book a table on OpenTable 2700 Jones Street, San Francisco, CA 94133 Butter & Crumble Open for: Pastries When the line goes beyond crawling around the block to literally circumnavigating the block, it’s important to capture the moment. Butter & Crumble is essential to this moment in San Francisco. The bakery is home to giga-viral croissants and treats including bacon, egg, and cheese and pistachio and cardamom sugar croissants. The small shop offers coffee, too, on a pink La Marzoco from a team in pink aprons. As founder Sophie Smith readies for a second shop in North Beach, there’s still time to say you spent three hours getting one of the OGs. Best for: Camping out early (the bakery opens at 9 a.m.) to try one of the rotating hits; in January, look for the banana praline cruffin. 271 Francisco St, San Francisco, CA, 94133, US Open for: Brunch, lunch, and dinner Price range: $$$ Any San Francisco naysayers can take a little jaunt into the Presidio and find their jaws somewhere on the floor, back in the grass in Tunnel Tops Park. Outside of existing in as spectacular a location as possible, Dalida is simply put one of the most supreme restaurants in California. Husband-and-wife chefs Laura and Sayat Ozyilmaz say the federal land feels like a slice of the Mediterranean, ideal for showcasing their modern riffs on the cuisine. Aromatic and juicy lamb shoulder tandoor and sea urchin tahdig topped with smoked trout roe battle for main supremacy; the smart diner springs for both. For dessert , try the tavuk gogsu brulee, also known as Turkish milk pudding made with shredded chicken breast. Best for: Refreshing your “San Francisco really is that wonderful” reserves any time they’re running low, ideally as a sunny evening sunsets into a classy dinner. Book a table on OpenTable 101 Montgomery St, Presidio, CA, 94129, US Golden Boy Pizza Open for: Lunch, dinner San Francisco is absolutely swarming with great pizzerias whether you favor a floppy Neapolitan pie from Tony’s or thick Detroit-style slabs from Square Pie Guys . But Golden Boy remains an institution for good reason: It’s a San Francisco pastime to stand on the sidewalk under that glowing neon sign waiting for your pan or slice while soaking in all that is the North Beach neighborhood. There are classic options, including cheese, pepperoni, and sausage — but the pro move is to get the clam and garlic pie. It’s a zingy, briny, bready meal built on a doughy base with a sturdy bottom. Take your pizza to nearby Washington Square Park if the weather allows. If you drive: North Beach can be a difficult neighborhood to park in, especially given neighboring apartment buildings and parklets which take up some of the area’s parking spaces. Give yourself extra time to locate that perfect spot or, even better, take public transportation to this corner and save yourself some frustration. Order delivery from Grubhub 542 Green St, San Francisco, CA, 94133, US Open for: Lunch on Fridays and Saturdays, dinner Price range: $$$$ Fine dining is known for its hospitality, but truthfully, some higher-end places can feel stuffy and tense. That’s thankfully not the case at three-Michelin-starred Quince, which underwent a renovation and reopened in November 2023 ; if anything, the updates to the dining room make the environment feel comfortable and inviting. That’s not to mention the masterful food of chef Michael Tusk, which easily shifts with the seasons, thanks to farm partners Fresh Run Farm . Diners will also want to indulge in an offering from the restaurant’s vintage amaro cart when it’s wheeled by after the entrees if the wine pairing doesn’t already have you floating out the door. You’ll feel well taken care of by the night’s end. Best for: Elegant, celebratory meals or the Michelin Guide aficionados (or Michelin-curious folks) in the group chat. Book a table on SevenRooms 470 Pacific Ave, San Francisco, CA, 94133, US Open for: Dinner only Price range: $$$$ Wander through picturesque Jackson Square and down Gold Street, where you’ll step into the time machine that is Bix. The two-story restaurant immerses diners in a sleek speakeasy, jazz club-type space, where the city outside melts away with a classic gin martini or Manhattan. The “modern American” food is excellent here; don’t skip the steak tartare or the “Potato Pillows”: puffed, fried squares of potato topped with caviar. Must-order dish: It’s hard to go wrong, but a word to the wise — if Bix’s seasonal tomato cart option is available, go for it and watch as the tomatoes are dressed tableside in mozzarella, basil, and olive oil. It’s pure summer magic. 56 Gold St, San Francisco, CA, 94133, US Open for: Lunch, dinner Chef Nite Yun is one of the San Francisco Bay Area’s most singular cooks. There’s her love of black pepper, incorporating the spice “by the handful” as Cesar Hernandez writes for the San Francisco Chronicle . There’s her storied past — including the ascent and decline of her first restaurant Nyum Bai amongst her tales — captured lovingly by Netflix’s Chef’s Table: Noodles . The accolades, the myths, don’t matter. Lunette’s well-priced, crunchy, chewy, and spicy menu is some of the best food in the city, and certainly at the Ferry Building and along the waterfront. The Khmer Fried Chicken Wings, lightly battered in rice flour and served with a lime, are one of the smartest ways to spend $16. It’s a run don’t walk situation. Best for: Rolling through on a weekday — preferably a sunny one to take advantage of the outdoor seating at the Ferry Building — to catch up with a friend over a mind-blowing testament to Cambodian cuisine. 1 Ferry Building, San Francisco, California 94111 Open for: Dinner Price range: $$$ Sometimes a restaurant’s origin story is so well-written one would think Stan Lee put it all down in stardust like just another superhero coming of age. Such is the case for Chinatown’s Four Kings, the first restaurant for chefs Franky Ho and Michael Long who met in the kitchen at Mister Jiu’s over their shared Cantonese lineage . Chinese sausage and bacon clay pot rice with house-made bacon and sausage. Saucy and spicy mapo spaghetti. A phenomenal fried squab to make James Beard blush. That’s all after the free roasted peanuts and smashed cucumbers hit the table when guests sit down. Know before you go: Reservations can be difficult, as the restaurant has maintained its buzziness since opening in 2024, but there are still some ways to get in. Join the pre-opening line to snag a table, or try to score a walk-in closer to closing once the hopeful crowds have died down (although fair warning: some dishes may be sold out). Book a table on OpenTable 710 Commercial Street, San Francisco, California 94108 House of Prime Rib Open for: Dinner Price range: $$$ This 70-year-old Nob Hill classic is a trip back to a time when plating with tweezers was not yet a thing. The name says it all: House of Prime Rib serves one thing and one thing only, and it does that roast prime rib very, very well. The only choices to make are: meat temperature, cut thickness, mashed or loaded baked potatoes, and martini or Manhattan. Each plate comes with a salad (prepared tableside), creamed spinach, Yorkshire pudding, and potatoes — and, of course, a hulking piece of beef cut from one of the wheeled meat carts. Know before you go: Reservations are highly recommended when going to House of Prime Rib (especially if you’re in a group), but if you’re out of luck and have a party of two, it’s not impossible to get a walk-in seat at the bar. Book a table on OpenTable 1906 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, CA 94109, USA Restaurant Naides Open for: Dinner Price range: $$$$ Restaurant Naides is a Michelin-starred Filipino restaurant from chef Patrick Gabon and partner Celine Wuu. Filipino food is underrepresented in the fine dining space, and Naides is one of the few restaurants in the United States to try the cuisine at this level. Classic dishes are reimagined by Gabon, such as sinigang, the sour, tamarind-based soup that here includes abalone and is made with dry-aged beef stock before it’s meticulously plated for diners. Even the bread course is thoughtful, with soft pandesal accompanied by Gabon’s take on chicken sisig and pickles on the side. Know before you go: Restaurant Naides offers a well-considered wine pairing option of smaller producers, but don’t write off the nonalcoholic beverage pairings. Led by Wuu, who also runs front of house, it is just as exciting, with drinks like fermented golden kiwi juice with galangal or tomato water with raspberry vinegar and guava leaves made to match each dish. 708 Bush St, San Francisco, CA, 94108, US Mandalay Restaurant Open for: Dinner, Lunch (weekends only) Price range: $$ Though it isn’t the flashiest or the most crowded, Mandalay might be best of San Francisco’s Burmese restaurants — certainly it’s the one that makes the least compromises to accommodate Western palates, which in general means bigger, punchier flavors. Whatever you do, don’t skip the best fermented tea leaf salad in town. It’s a rendition of the classic that’s available without lettuce or cabbage to tamp down the deliciously pungent flavors or diminish the outrageous crunch of the nuts and seeds. The restaurant also received the James Beard America’s Classics Award in 2024. Must-try dish: Try the homey samusa soup or any of the fragrant noodle dishes. 4348 California St, San Francisco, CA 94118, USA Open for: Lunch and dinner Price range: $$ On a recent spring night, Kin Khao remains packed and noisy more than a decade into its run in Union Square. Dishes arrive fast. Mushroom pate on rice crackers is simple and fine enough to attract customers on just its own merit. Then come oily pork cracklings, yaowaraj noodles with spicy tofu. Chef-owner Pim Techamuanvivit maintains the quality and prestige of Kin Khao’s flavors and dishes even while jet-setting around the world and running restaurants in both San Francisco and Bangkok. Order the green rabbit curry with meatballs, with a tin of fluffy brown rice, that hints at deeper levels of spice expanding through the meal while keeping the palette on cruise control. Best for: Peeking into the origins of modern Thai American cuisine by way of one of the best to ever do it. 55 Cyril Magnin St, San Francisco, CA 94102, USA Open for: Dinner Price range: $$$ The work of Stuart Brioza, Nicole Krasinski, and managing partner Elizabeth DePalmer is without exaggeration the stuff of Northern California legend . Their restaurants State Bird Provision, Anchovy Bar, and the Progress are proving grounds for chefs and a testament to the teams built up by Brioza and Krasinski. At the Progress, high ceilings and warm woods provide a cozy ambiance to playful, strong food: Liberty Farms half barbecued duck spiraling around huge plates and grilled half rabbit with shishito peppers, artichokes, and bacon. Word to the wise: Order the hot dog before they sell out . Best for: Special occasions where nobody wants the vibe to feel too stuffy, where crashing through glitzy glizzies is just as desirable as plates of phenomenal duck. 1525 Fillmore St, San Francisco, CA, 94115, US Open for: Breakfast, lunch A stupid take has emerged on rapidly enshittifying social media platforms in 2025: San Francisco cafe culture sucks. Writ large, few bakeries are wonderful enough to double dip as a cafe. Breadbelly is the rare bakery powerful enough to not just serve soba-studded cookies and green kaya buns, but to boast a cafe and parklet charming enough to remind San Franciscans why touching grass is worth logging off. The 50/50 is worth an order, a combo of black tea, condensed milk, and black coffee from (most recently) award-winning Dune Coffee Roasters . Few bakeries and cafes in the Avenues can compete with Breadbelly. And now, thankfully, a second location has opened up at Pier 70. Best for: A weekday morning coffee and pastry to start the day, ideal to parlay into a leisurely day on Clement Street or hopping in your car to play hooky north of the city. 1408 Clement St, San Francisco, CA, 94118, US Outta Sight Pizza Open for: Lunch, dinner Outta Sight Pizza gained a solid fanbase for its New York-inspired slices, but the dialed-in sauces and flavor combinations make it a standout from the pizza crowd. That’s thanks to chef Eric Ehler, who left the fine-dining world to take on the more approachable realm of pizza. The shop skews toward thin crust, but there are also some tavern-style pies and granny slices to keep things fresh. Ruby Pie is the shop’s top-seller and it tips its hat to New York’s Rubirosa, combining trails of vodka sauce with marinara and pesto, and hits of mozzarella. Above all else, don’t gloss over the specials — this is where the team gets to play around, and with it comes unexpected touches, such as a recent ginger scallion chicken Caesar salad or a mapo slice inspired by Chinatown neighbors Four Kings. Vibe check: Outta Sight has big skater vibes — Ehler and much of the team like to go out and hit the streets, skateboard in tow — so it only makes sense that this group turns out some excellent merch. You’ll most likely want to see what they have in stock after your slice. 422 Larkin St, San Francisco, CA, 94102, US San Francisco’s Best New Restaurants, September 2026 The 12 Best Restaurants in Sonoma County 14 Dynamite Eating and Drinking Destinations in SoMa Dingles Public House Open for: Dinner, brunch on Sundays Price range: $$ Dingles Public House brings a taste of modern British pub food to San Francisco. The restaurant skews toward British classics, such as a Scotch egg and beef and Guinness pie, but the quality is much higher than one might find at an English corner pub, thanks to chef George Dingle and his wife Anissa Dingle, who runs the bar program and front of house. On Sundays, they expand the menu to include a Sunday Roast complete with Yorkshire pudding, roasted root vegetables, and red wine gravy. Vibe check : The dining room is transportive, thanks to the British racing green colors and plush leather booths; one could easily imagine being in London with the fun details the Dingles have packed into the space. Still, the space feels relaxing — the cozy fireplace certainly helps — and there’s no need for a tie or tailcoat here. 333 Fulton Street, San Francisco, California 94102, United States Cinderella Bakery & Cafe Open for: Breakfast, lunch, dinner Though the small enclave of Russian markets and businesses in the Richmond has contracted over the years, Cinderella Bakery & Cafe endures. That’s in large part due to its fresh baked loaves of rye bread, puff pastry perogies, and delicately layered slices of honey cake. On the savory side, don’t skip the Russian dumplings called pelmeni, which can and should be enjoyed with broth and plenty of sour cream. Must-try dish: Don’t skip out on the piroshki; it typically comes stuffed with beef, but vegetarians have some options such as a cabbage version that clocks in at $5. Order delivery from Grubhub 436 Balboa St, San Francisco, CA 94118, USA Open for: Dinner Price range: $$$ Chef David Nayfeld’s tribute to Tuscan cuisine opened in September 2025 with a bang, debuting in an all-new buildout with beautiful decor and an equally-beautiful view of Oracle Park and the waterfront. Beyond those points, however, is a restaurant that boasts a selection of Tuscan dishes that are perhaps lesser-seen in Bay Area restaurants. Think a spin on sformato, informed by seasonal produce, house-made pastas like tortelli Mugellani, and fennel seed-crusted lamb. Diners can order a la carte or take on the five-course tasting menu that leads diners through the options. Add on a serious wine and cocktail list, and you have the makings of a special night out.

Best for: Upscale dates and friend meetups, special occasions, and business meetings with an expense account. 300 Toni Stone Crossing, STE A, San Francisco, California 94158, United States Open for: Brunch, lunch, and dinner Price range: $$$ It’s been written in the most important annals of San Francisco history (read: cookbooks) and believe the hype: Zuni Cafe is the real deal. The triangle sandwich-looking building is one of the city’s remaining restaurant darlings. The famous chicken, served with that loving warm bread salad, is maybe for more than the two people the menu recommends. The shoestring fries are as crispy and salty as you’re hoping they’ll be, making eyes toward you beneath the warm and dim lighting. Best for: Soaking up the old-school San Francisco energy over a few legendary dishes of chicken and fries. 1658 Market St, San Francisco, CA 94102, USA Open for: Dinner Price range: $$ This Lower Haight pizzeria is, as Iggy Azalea once put it, the new classic . In a flash, Bay Area-raised Max Blachman-Gentile ran his popular pop-up right into the former Iza Ramen space on Fillmore Street. His pizza prowess came from his time with the Tartine Manufactory. The restaurant’s attention to seasonality is matched by a suite of bold sides: tarragon miso ranch, hot fermented garlic honey, etc. It’s not just New York-style sourdough crusts that keep the lines crawling around the block, though. The hot chicken is a punchy must-order main, and one must save room for the inventive ice creams such as burnt date and black sesame. Best for: Making sure the friend group gets a special night out on the city with one of Jules’s seasonal pies. 237 Fillmore Street, San Francisco, California 94117 Open for: Dinner Price range: $$ The Mission District’s top izakaya is sunken from the sidewalk. It’s wood-paneled, an intimate window into the kitchen plain for anyone in the restaurant to see, not just for those seated at the hinoki cedar bar. It would be a mistake to say it’s a “hidden gem” or any kind of secret, though. Kyoto-born and Northern California-raised chef Sylvan Brackett’s Rintaro has been a sensation for more than a decade, surviving and thriving through the various San Francisco eras. Dining here — whether on the udon “carbonara” with raw egg yolk, Becker Lane Berkshire pork gyoza with chicken foot jelly, or the elegant sashimi — is a Bay Area rite of passage. Best for: Going in as soon as possible through last-minute reservation notifications, solo at said cedar bar, or for an intimate dinner date. 82 14th St, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA Fikscue Thrive City Open for: Lunch, dinner Price range: $$ Fikscue built its reputation on Texas-style halal barbecue and Indonesian dishes that have captured the adoration of diners at its original Alameda location. In its first year of operation, the restaurant received plenty of acclaim and awards (including a Best New Restaurant nod by Eater in 2024 ), and owners Fik and Reka Saleh added a second location, this time in the complex surrounding Chase Center. Expect the same dishes that diners clamor for in Alameda, such as beef back ribs, jalapeño-cheese sausage, nasi goreng, and smoked brisket rendang. Capped with the iced dessert drink cendol, with green pandan jelly in coconut milk, it’s a dynamic pairing of cultures you can’t find anywhere else. Must-try dish: There’s plenty to like at Fikscue, but there’s just something about wielding a dino rib that is not only delicious but feels absolutely primal to hold. 7 Warriors Way, Suite 208, San Francisco, California 94158, United States Open for: Lunch and dinner Samir Boulos Ishaq Hanna Jiries Abed el Masiah Issa Mughannam took over his father’s burger joint and made it a global destination for Arabic comfort food. Now, it’s hard to think of San Francisco pre-Beit Rima. The restaurant is synonymous with high-end comfort food. Both locations, in the Castro and Hayes Valley, offer a fun and easy atmosphere. The most expensive of dishes here — the Gazan braised lamb served with the hand-rolled couscous maftool at $32 — is still an outrageous deal. The city would be lucky to have a Beit Rima in every neighborhood, on every block, instead of the private equity-backed junk strewn throughout the 48 hills. Best for: Walking by when feeling peckish, stopping in should there be space, and ordering the mezze platter. 86 Carl St, San Francisco, CA 94117, USA Open for: Dinner Price range: $$$ In a city of lordly neighborhood restaurants, the Morris rules the roost. The cozy, romantic digs pair well with a smart wine list — in fact, a Big Wine List — and clever drinks including chartreuse slushies. But the mains speak for themselves beyond beverages: kabocha squash gnocchi topped with black trumpets and truffle fonduta, smoked duck with root vegetables demanding a $180 price tag. If you opt for a drink and small bites, Rize Up bread with duck confit is a royal option. Best for: Tasting all the hype at this both regal and laidback winner, founded by a well-revered sommelier (hint hint order wine). 2501 Mariposa St, San Francisco, CA, 94110, US Open for: Brunch and dinner Price range: $$ Taiwanese comfort food near you might not mean much to some, but, for those on the take, this is like hearing a Prince concert is on at the dive bar down the street. That’s no exaggeration. Chef Chris Yang and partner Marcelle Gonzales Yang’s cooking has been a gold mine for the city’s diners since their Hén-zhì and El Chino Grande pop-up days. When the restaurant opened in 2023, it became a fast favorite, nabbing national accolades . The move here is the nostalgic and inventive honey walnut shrimp and pork toast, ground white shrimp and pork mousse atop the Japanese milk bread shokupan. The mala barbecue pork ribs are numbing and delectable, and wrapping the meal with the singular tofu pudding, or dou hua, is just plain smart. (The strawberry rhubarb version is a particular highlight.) The restaurant added alcohol at long last to the menu in spring 2025, which means the night market vibes are all the more powerful. Best for: Taking in the inevitable Bruce Lee movie projected on the wall with a few friends while going dish by dish through the inexpensive and punchy menu. 2170 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA Delfina Restaurant Open for: Dinner Price range: $$$ After taking a years-long break spurred by the pandemic, Delfina reopened on 18th Street with a fresh new look in October 2022. Co-owners Annie and Craig Stoll are proud to show off a new bar and a new private dining room, where fans old and new can get a taste of the restaurant’s pioneering Cal-Italian cuisine . The spaghetti pomodoro returned to the menu, but as ever, the selection changes just about every day so the kitchen can incorporate whatever’s freshest from the Stoll farm in Sonoma. Must-try dish: There’s so much to try on the Delfina menu, you’ll be forgiven if you glaze over the pizza section, but don’t skip out entirely and order a flash-frozen pie to bring home. Book a table on SevenRooms 3621 18th St, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA Open for: Lunch and dinner Price range: $$ The two Shawns — chef Shawn Naputi and business partner Shawn Camacho — built a pipeline from Guam straight to San Francisco when they opened Prubechu in 2014. The two Chamorro pros offer up one of the city’s most unfussy yet super flavorful menus five days a week. Pickle bags, a briny delight that goes for less than $10, land on the multicolored tablecloth next to nori-topped potato salad and the coconut-braised beef known as tinaktak. The outdoor patio game at Prubechu is unmatched, too; tents and outdoor heaters in a lot next door to the restaurant kept those roasted Japanese yams and ramekins of fina’denne’ alive and well throughout the worst of the pandemic. No culinary tour through the Bay is complete without a two-foot dive into the menu here. Best for: Big meals outdoors, annual Super Bowl specials, or grabbing a seat at the bar on a random Wednesday night. There’ll be a wait for those first two and no problem grabbing that bar seat. 2224 Mission St #A, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA Taqueria Cancun Open for: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner Nobody can agree on the best taco slinger nor burrito outfit in the Mission — governing accords would need to be drawn up with delegates from every pocket of the historic neighborhood just to begin those conversations. Taqueria Cancun, however, would be one of the super powers at the bargaining table. It opened in 1991 by former El Farolito staff, with three locations now within that happy family. The two-pound super burritos are inarguably worth crossing off the list, Hass avocado and dice onion-riddled torpedoes. A lowkey pro move is dropping by at 10 for chorizo scrambled eggs, the breakfast burrito another sharp order. But lining up (there’ll be a line) on a late Friday night for a flour tortilla-packaged sleeping agent is a true San Francisco original. Best for: You heard it already: roll through late-night and understand why they call the burritos Mission-style from here to Massachusetts. 2288 Mission St at 19th Street, San Francisco, CA 94110 Open for: Dinner Price range: $$$$ This is the fine dining restaurant advocates of haute cuisine use as evidence that not all the fancy places bore you to death before asking for $1,000. Few other two-Michelin-star-holding powerhouses cheekily wheel out a “ surprise dad chop ” after serving its famous lamb chops. Few other James Beard Award-nominated dynamos maintain a service culture as friendly or friendlier than the neighborhood coffee shop. And few other restaurateurs are as committed to fun, dinner party vibes as David Barzelay, a man as committed to San Francisco as he is to premiere cooking techniques and the fanciest wines on the West Coast. Best for: A more relaxing fine dining experience that screams “quiet luxury” than a gaudy, austere dining room at other places. 3416 19th St, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA Open for: Dinner Price range: $$$ There are so few restaurants in San Francisco treating Dungeness crab in skillful, specific presentations worth returning to year after year. Since 1971, Thanh Long defends that title, year after year. The drunken crab, long-simmered in Chardonnay, brandy, sake, and blasted with cracked black pepper, is as intelligent a way to drop $80 on a singular, gustatory star treatment as they come. One can eat a small meal here for less coin — the $13.25 seafood dumplings and an order of the famous garlic noodles for $14.95 is a proper indulgence. But when Harrison Ford and Danny Glover hit the restaurant, you can be sure they’re not leaving anything to chance. Eating at Thanh Long is mythic and should be treated as such. Best for: Letting your urges run rampant and leaving no mystery to the menu; this is not the dinner spot for ordering one entree and splitting. This is an original bring your own to-go box kind of restaurant. 4101 Judah St, San Francisco, CA, 94122, US Anchor Oyster Bar Open for: Lunch, dinner Price range: $$ The Paris of the West is well-loved for its myriad culinary innovations. Not least amongst them: cioppino . Castro Street’s highest class restaurant is undoubtedly Anchor Oyster Bar , a cozy and affordable restaurant serving a tomatoey, powerful rendition on the fisherman’s stew. Anchor is a must-try for those wanting to steep themselves in gastronomic history. It’s an excellent example for locals and tourists alike of the duality San Francisco can strike: huge bowls of well-composed seafood in a restaurant both high-end and friendly, the decor on the walls letting diners feel they really are in a portside city built by dock workers. Nothing stuffy, just pure flavor. Best for: Feasting on cioppino in one of San Francisco’s most storied neighborhoods, the Castro Theater’s neon lights blinking down the street. 579 Castro St, San Francisco, CA, 94114, US Open for: Brunch, lunch, dinner Price range: $$ Patty melts with bar nuts at a traditional bar may sound unremarkable. Dry-aged beef patty melts on pan de miele, the bread coated in beef fat, with candied, lemon-zested nuts and carajillos of cold brew, Licor 43, scotch, and a dash of salt might perk ears up. That’d be because True Laurel was listed in the 2024 North America’s 50 Best Bars. Upon arrival, it’s immediate and clear this is where the cool, cutting-edge diners and drinkers in San Francisco congregate. Don’t be surprised that this bar is packed. That goes for brunch, too. Reservations in advance are smart, or rolling the dice on a random weeknight. Best for: A first date you have a good feeling about or having a Haruki Murakami-esque solo dining experience at the bar. 753 Alabama St, San Francisco, CA, 94110, US Open for: Dinner Already 11 years into its run, Trick Dog remains one of the finest cocktail bars in San Francisco. The menu rotates every six months, with a recent iteration taking things in a distinctly circus-y direction . But no matter when you visit, expect drinks that surprise and delight with uncommon ingredients — for example, peanut butter and Sriracha or hoisin and absinthe — in a well-balanced cocktail. The food is nothing to scoff at either. You can’t go wrong with either the buttermilk-brined chicken nuggets or the massive kale salad. Know before you go: Trick Dog gets fairly busy in the evening, so if you require a seat head here closer to the opening. Order delivery from Grubhub 3010 20th St, San Francisco, CA, 94110, US Open for: Breakfast, lunch Chef Deuki Hong and managing partner Janet Lee’s Sōhn is a unique space in the Dogpatch pairing takes on Korean dishes with a community-first mindset . It’s a tight food menu that packs a lot of flavor, such as a spicy, cold buckwheat noodle salad with kimchi, cucumbers, Asian pear, and a mound of greens, or a breakfast sandwich boasting Korean steamed egg with sweet onion bacon jam and cheese. The drinks menu boasts original items such as an iced banana oat milk latte or a yuja perilla espresso tonic, plus a selection of Korean teas and full coffee bar offerings. This all takes place in a large cafe setting, with a shop highlighting Korean makers and artwork by Korean American artists hanging throughout the space. Best for: Getting a taste of Korean-inflected lunch items and coffee bar drinks, in a relaxing setting ready for hangouts and coffee meetups. 2535 3rd Street, San Francisco, California 94107, United States Open for: Dinner Price range: $$$$ Val Cantu’s Californios became the first Mexican restaurant in the world to earn three Michelin stars in June 2026, serving an ambitious tasting menu of exquisite cuisine rooted in Mexican traditions. In the former Bar Agricole space in SoMa, Cantu and his team honor Mexican ingredients and cooking techniques — elevating masa to new heights through in-house nixtamalization for handmade tortillas and taking creative liberties with dishes like a puffed piece of black masa topped with sea urchin and a grilled banana served with a dollop of caviar. Best for: A special occasion or celebratory meal. 355 11th St, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA Open for: Brunch, lunch, and dinner Price range: $$ Chef-driven restaurants where the heads of the kitchen graduated from La Cocina’s business incubator is a kind of San Francisco torch to be passed. Many of the city’s best to ever do it have come from those halls. That includes Heena Patel, Besharam’s queen of South Asian-inspired fare. The malai kofta are creamy crunchy gifts. The carrot halwa is a gold-flecked treasure. The pickles and chutneys are thoughtful lieutenants to the commanding presence of each meal. This restaurant demonstrates an important truism: San Francisco defends its title as a city with excellent dishes prepared with all diners in mind for a reasonable price. Best for: A high-end dinner date for two where every allergy-sensitivity and dining dream can be accommodated, and then some. 1275 Minnesota St, San Francisco, CA, 94107, US Open for: Dinner Price range: $$$ Bernal Heights is an ideal neighborhood for urban hiking, a weekend treat from Chicken Dog Bagels in hand. Not many San Franciscans consider the area a go-to for fine dining, however, but that’s because few San Franciscans have dined at 3rd Cousin and tried chef Greg Lutes’s uni creme brulee. It’s a sweet and savory medley of uni and caramelized sugar that tastes something like the Michelin Guide equivalent of the Krusty Krab. The restaurant’s held it down for ten years, sporting a sleek ambiance with $165 tasting menus. In 2025 Lutes circumnavigated the neighborhood with more casual outfit Precita Social , a home for disco fries and burgers. Best for: A fancy night out in the city at one of San Francisco’s most lowkey Michelin star-holding contenders. Book a table on OpenTable 919 Cortland Ave, San Francisco, CA, 94110, US Old Mandarin Islamic Restaurant Open for: Lunch and dinner Price range: $$ Blocks from Ocean Beach’s foggy dunes lie one of San Francisco’s restaurant titans, a place where home-y eating merges with destination dining in quintessential Northern California fashion. Old Mandarin’s held it down for more than 30 years , serving Northern Chinese staples including cumin-spiced lamb flanked by water chestnut and peanuts, the correct crunch and chew combo. Big bowls of thick noodles decorate the scene. The beef pancakes are flakey and oily delights. And sugar-dusted mochi stuffed with dates lands on the table, still warm. Best for: Halal-friendly Chinese cuisine to blow the minds of anyone who thinks they have an even decent grasp on “Chinese food.” Order delivery from Grubhub 3132 Vicente St, San Francisco, CA 94116, USA More in Dining Out in SF Find flavor in every corner of the county “I’ve never been more excited for a Thai restaurant,” Eater correspondent Matthew Kang writes of Saam A vetted guide to dining and drinking in the neighborhood The best places to belly up for a strong drink in San Francisco Discover the stars closest to you, or strategize your driving and dining itinerary These days, this East Bay city is known for a lot more than just “California cuisine” This is the title for the native ad